Rail-joint.



Patented Feb. I8', |902.

A. BARR.

RAIL JOINT. I (Applicltion lod June 81,'1901.)

(No Model.)

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. Afro/Mfrs UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ADDISON BARR, OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO, ASSIGN OR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO EUGENE J. A. DRENNEN AND ELMER E. MOORE, OF MARTINS FERRY,

OHIO.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,812, dated February 18, 1902.

Application led June 2l, 1901. Serial No'. 65,504. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Beit known that l, ADDISON BARR, residing at Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of rail-joints adapted to join and brace the meeting ends of rails without the xo use of bolts and lock-nuts; and it primarily seeks to provide a joint of this character of a very economical and stable construction which can be readily cooperatively joined with the rails and held secure by the ordir 5 nary rail-spikes.

In its more generic nature my invention comprises two straddle or fish plates for the opposite sides of the meeting ends of the rails, each consisting of a base or chair portion 2o adapted to extend under the base of the rail,

and a vertically-projecting member extended up from the base part inwardly at such an angle that only its upper end will engage the under laterally-proj ecting surface of the railhead and take up and distribute `the strain on the rail laterally at au angle of approximately forty-five degrees, wherebyto reduce direct strain on the web, the iianges, or base.

of the rail to the minimum, and provide, as 3o it were, diagonal side braces to hold the trackrails from lateral displacement and also provide a clearance between the j oint-plates and the web of the rail for a free passing offeedercables for transmitting electric currents or 3 5 for switch-operating'cables or rods, combining in my construction of joint an effective means for joining the rails and also guides for cables, rods, and the like.

My invention in its complete make up also 4o includes a novel construction of fish-plate having as an essential feature an angle portion adapted todelect the side strain on the rails laterally at an angle and means for interlocking the two opposing plates, whereby a tensile strain by lateral thrust of the rail in one direction on the plate at that side to which the strain is deflected will serve to draw the plate at the opposite side the more tightly against the rails, and thereby effect- 5o ively prevent the two rail ends from moving out of a proper alinement and maintain the several parts, the rails, the joint-plates, and the plate-interlocking means in a uniform and desired cooperative condition at all times.

In its more subordinate features my invention consists in certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully explained, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, referencebeing had to the accom- 6o panying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View, partly in cross-section, of myim proved rail=joint, show'- ing one form of interlocking means for the opposite fish or straddle plates. Fig. 2 is a 65 cross-section of the same on thev line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the rail and joint-plates, and illustrates another form of j0int-plate interlocking means. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially on 7o the line 4 4t of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa detail View of a further modication hereinafter described.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,'in which like characters indicatelike 75 parts in all the figures, l l designate the m'eeting ends of the two rail-sections of the standard type, and 2 2 designate the two opposing iish or straddle plates, the construction of which, together with their cooperative arrangement 8o with the rails, forms the essential feature of my invention. The two plates .2 2 are constructed alike, and each consists of a base portion a to project under the base l of the rail, which merges with an end portion having a recess b extending its full length to receive the extreme outer edge of the flanges a of the rail-base, as clearly shown in the drawings.

c designates the fish or straddle portion of the plates 2, preferably formed integrally with 9o the base at, as shown in Figs. l to 4, which extends vertically and inwardly at an angle of such degree that the line of thrust on said portion is on a line from the center of the railhead lb to the outer edge of the base of the rail,as indicated by the broken lines or in Figs.

2 and 3, and the upper edge c of said portion c is inclined at an angle to snugly lit against the under face lc of the rail, as shown, to provide for a solid bearing against the said railroo head at an approximately right angle to the thrust-line as indicated by the broken lines y in said Figs. 2 and 3.

The recesses b in the plates 2 may be omitted, if desired, as indicated in Fig. 5; but I prefer to provide such recesses, as they serve to maintain a more rigid correlation of the rail-base with the plates 2 and positively overcome any danger of a rocking vibration of the rails.

So far as described it will be apparent that lateral strain on the rails in either direction, especially on slight curves in the trackway, will be taken up by the plates in a direct line lengthwise thereof and transmitted directly against the base, as the angle at which the said plate portions c set relatively to the rails causes the plates to act as side b races to maintain the rails in a proper vertical position irrespective of the sidewise strain thereon in either lateral direction. Another and advantageous feature in arranging the said plate portions c, as shown and described, is that said plate portions c will also act as guides and keepers for conveniently holding a feeder-cable (indicated by z in Fig. 2) when my improvement is used on electric-railway systems or for connecting rods or chains usually carried along the sides of track-rails for operating the switches and signals.

To maintain the two opposing plates in their proper coperative positions and prevent spreading, I have provided means for interlocking the two plates, which may be arranged as shown in Figs. l and 2, by reference to which it will be noticed a chair-plate 3 is provided that extends under the two base portions a of the plates 2, the outer ends of which have offsets or shoulders 3 to oppose corresponding offsets or shoulders 2c on the plates 2, and the abutting line fn of the said two parts is on such an angle that a pull strain from one side in the direction indicated bythe arrow 10 in Fig. 2 will cause the lower part of plate 2 to clamp tightly against the outer end lof the rail-flange at that side and the upper end of part o against the neck of the rail-head, it being understood the strain from the opposite side will likewise clamp the other plate 2 tightly against the other side of the rail. Thus the strain on the rail laterally in either direction will cause the plates 2 to firmly maintain their proper positions against the rail. The joint-plates are firmly secured to the ties 4E by the usual spikes 5 and from longitudinal movement by having the spikes engage the notches 2d, as shown.

In Figs. 3 and 4t I have illustrated a modified means for interlocking the plates 2,Which on the score of economy is a preferred construction. In this form the chair-plate 3 is omitted and the meeting ends of the base portions et have interlocking portions 2f, as best shown in Fig. 4, which act to pull the two plates against the rail under lateral pull on the plates 2 in either direction.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a still further modiication of myinvention ,by reference to which it will be noticed the plates 2 are made of two pieces-a base part 2x, having at its end an offset 2y, and a vertical member having an offset or shoulder cx to interlock with the cifset 2y. 'lhis latter form, while not as economical in its construction as the form shown in Figs. l and 2, has the advantage that the parts can be themore con veniently asse mbled.

I prefer to make the plates 2 of a single body, however, as such form embodies the greatest strength and stability in use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

l. The combination with the two rails; of the plates 2, each consisting of a base a, an integral upwardly and inwardlyinclined member c, the opposing ends of the base portions a, having interlocking means, the upper ends of the members c being beveled to snugly lit against the under face of the rail-heads, as set forth.

2. The hereinbefore described improvement i'n rail-joints, consistingin combination with the two rail ends and the ties, a pair of opposing straddle-plates 2 2, each consisting of a base Ct, adapted to extend under the railbase, an integral portion c, curved up from the base a, and having a longitudinal recess to receive the outer edge of the raiI-Iiange, said portion c being projected upward from the base inwardly at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees, its upper end being beveled to snugly bear against the lower face ot' the rail-head, and means for interlocking the two plates 2, said plates having spike-receiving notches, all being arranged substantially as shown and forthe purposes described.

ADDISON BARR.

Vitnesses:

AUGUsT BItIsTENs'rEIN, B. F. CoYLE.

ICO 

